Fourteen years after retiring amid controversy, former Boston Red Sox star Manny Ramírez has expressed interest in returning to Major League Baseball in a coaching role. Ramírez told reporter Héctor Gómez that he is ready to share his knowledge as a hitting coach with any MLB team.
“I’m available to work as a hitting coach for any of the 30 MLB teams,” Ramírez said on May 26. “I’m confident I can help any team significantly improve their offense.” A video shared by Gómez showed Ramírez practicing his swing in a batting cage.
Ramírez, now 52, ended his playing career early in the 2011 season with the Tampa Bay Rays after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs during spring training. Rather than face a 100-game suspension, he chose to retire, a decision he said brought him peace. He had previously served a 50-game suspension in 2009 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a similar violation.
During his career, Ramírez was one of baseball’s most feared hitters. He played for Cleveland, the Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox, hitting 555 home runs—15th on the all-time list—and collecting 1,831 RBIs. He posted a career batting line of .312/.411/.585 with a 154 OPS+. He won two World Series titles with Boston, was selected to 12 All-Star teams, and won the batting title in 2002 with a .349 average.
Now, Ramírez appears open to joining any team, including the New York Yankees, long-time rivals of the Red Sox. While the Yankees already feature one of the best offenses in the league, Ramírez believes he can bring additional value as a hitting coach and help elevate their lineup even further.
